U.S. import prices up 1.7 percent in November on fuel

U.S. import prices rose 1.7 percent in November in their largest gain since June, driven higher by fuel costs, a government report showed on Friday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a slimmer rise of 1 percent. October's gain was also revised up to 0.8 percent from the 0.7 percent previously reported.

Import prices have been steadily rising over the past year and have increased during eight of the last nine months, the Labor Department said. They also rose 3.7 percent from November 2008 in the first annual gain since the October 2007-2008 period.

Excluding petroleum, import prices were up a much slimmer 0.7 percent in November.